May 1981 Council Minutes

MAY 1981 COUNCIL MINUTES
The Council met at 7:00 PM 15 May 1981 in the Evergreen Room of the Conference
Center at the Marriott/Greentree near Pittsburgh. The following members were
present: S. Armentrout, R.G. Ayoub, C. Davis, A.M. Gleason, R.L. Graham, L.
Keen, L. Lorch, D. J. Lutzer, O.C. McGehee, R.S. Millman, F.P. Peterson, R.R.
Phelps, E. Pitcher, M.B. Pour-El, M.E. Rudin, P.J. Sally, Jr., D.A. Sanchez,
and K. Uhlenbeck. Also present were R. Hahn, E. Heiser, and J.L. Selfridge.
Professor James A. Donaldson was present by invitation and had the privilege of
the floor for the discussion of items 7.4 and 8.2. Professor Anatoly Katok was
present by invitation and had the privilege of the floor for the preliminary
discussion of items 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3, which was carried out jointly prior to
the consideration of any motions.
President Gleason was in the chair. He established an order for the discussion
different from that in the agenda. The numbering of items follows the agenda.
MINUTES
1.1 MINUTES OF 6 JANUARY 1981: The named minutes had been distributed by mail.
Professor Lee Lorch requested that the minute 4.2 include the complete wording
of a resolution which he presented and of which the following is the edited
text:
The Chairman of the Committee on Opportunities in Mathematics for the
Disadvantage Groups, Professor James A. Donaldson, shall be invited to attend
the May 1981 Council meeting for the purpose of presenting the report of
that Committee. His expenses shall be paid on the same basis as Council
members.
The Secretary then wished to add the following remarks to the minute. When
the resolution was presented the Secretary pointed out that the Council did not
have the power to appropriate funds. The Treasurer pointed out that the Council
could recommend the expenditure of funds. The Secretary stated that he had the
authority to make expenditures in some circumstances, including reimbursement
for travel. Notwithstanding these remarks, the Council did pass the foregoing
motion appropriating funds. With these additions the minutes were approved.
1.2 MINUTES OF BUSINESS BY MAIL OF 2 MARCH 1981: These minutes are attached
and were approved.
COMMITTEES AND BOARDS
4.1 MEETINGS: The EC has considered the nature of meetings of the Society as
part of its mandated continuing review of Society activities. The Committee
considered the issues by mail and then at a face-to-face meeting on January
9, 1981. The minutes of the meeting, with agenda appended, are attached as
the report of the EC and were received by the Council with no action.
REPORTS OF OFFICERS
5.1 TREASURER'S REPORT: The audit report was distributed and is attached.
The Treasurer commented on the report.
NEW BUSINESS
8.1 APPLICANTS TO GRADUATE SCHOOL FROM PRC: Professor Frank Peterson proposed
that the AMS and SIAM form a joint committee charged to set up a procedure for
obtaining reasonably precise information about applicants for graduate schools
from the People's Republic of China. There is an attached letter from Peterson
detailing the proposal. It is similar to the mechanism just established by the
physicists and described in a second attachment. (There is no page 1 in the
second attachment.) There is an attached comment from Professor Raymond Ayoub.
The motion, phrased by the President as a consensus from the discussion, was
that the Society propose to SIAM the establishment of a joint committee to
function in the general area of admission of what may be a rather large number
of Chinese applicants. The motion was passed. In the discussion it was
understood that the committee would have some staff support, that the Society
would proceed alone if SIAM were unwilling, and that speed was of the essence
to cope with applications effective in September 1982.
8.3 ABSTRACT BY MIHRAM: An abstract titled A NOTE ON PROOF AND TRUTH IN THE
MATHEAMTICAL SCIENCES was offered by Dr. G. Arthur Mihram for presentation in
person at the meeting of l5-16 May 1981, but was rejected by Associate
Secretary Ayoub. Dr. Mihram asked that the abstract be submitted to the
Council for its reconsideration, together with his letter of protest, both
of which are attached. In his letter he quotes Ayoub's letter of rejection, so
the latter is not separately included. The Council confirmed the judgment
communicated by Professor Ayoub.
8.4 JOINT PROGRAM COMMITTEE: The Joint Committee on Meetings of AMS and MAA
proposed a trial of a joint program committee for summer meetings. The
Secretary and the Executive Director, who represent the Society on the joint
committee, requested Council approval of the trial for the Summer Meeting of
1982 in Toronto. The administrative arrangement is to be left to mutual
agreement. The anticipated arrangement is that the Society be represented on
the joint program committee by the standing Society Program Committee or a
subset of it. Inasmuch as this item was not on the published agenda, the
Secretary requested acceptance of this proposal as an item of business by the
required vote of two-thirds of those present. The permission was granted.
Then, on a motion by Professor Ayoub, the trial of a joint program committee
for the Summer Meeting of 1982 was approved by the Council.
INFORMATION AND RECORD
2.1 PUBLIC CRYPTOGRAPHY: The Amercian Council on Education sponsored a study by
a Public Cryptograph Study Group. One of the members was R. Creighton Buck,
who, although he did not formally represent this Society, was suggested by its
officers. The PCSG has completed its report. Professor Buck prepared an
informal summary, which is attached. Public reaction to advance information on
the content of the report varied, with some comments emphasizing an aspect of
"prior restraint." Such an article from SCIENCE is attached, together with the
NEW YORK TIMES report and the reaction at MIT. The Secretary read a portion of
minute 5.6 of the EC from its meeting of May 1-2, 1981, which is attached.
There was no action.
OLD BUSINESS
7.4 COMMITTEE ON OPPORTUNITES IN MATHEMATICS FOR DISADVANTAGE GROUPS: A report
("first report") from the Committee, dated August 20, 1980 and presented at the
meeting of 19 August 1980, was scheduled by the Council of 6 January 1981 for
discussion at this meeting. Professor James A. Donaldson, Chairman of the
Committee, was present by invitation to present the report. He also presented
the attached report of subsequent work of the Committee, headed COMDG REPORT
("second report"). In so doing, he noted that the Committee wished to withdraw
recommendations 2 and 3 at the end of the first report and to note that
recommendation 4 is included in recommendation 6 of the second report.
The Committee was thanked for its report and the Council then proceeded to
consider the recommendations from the second report.
On a motion by Professor Lorch, the Council resolved to support the NSF's
Science Education and Dross Directorate Programs, specifically including
predoctoral programs through an amendment by Professor Peterson, and to request
the President to support efforts to restore adequate funding for these
programs.
Professor Pitcher moved the following statement as proposed by the Committee.
The Council of AMS views the underrepresentation in mathematics of
members of disadvantaged groups as a serious problem for American science. The
maintenance of eminence in science requires that all scientific talent be
nurtured, developed, and fully utilized wherever such talent is found.
The motion passed.
It was agreed without a formal motion that the Committee should begin to
undertake the program of disseminating information about programs for members
of disadvantaged groups proposed in recommendation 4, with staff assistance
from the Providence office and with publication in the NOTICES and reprinting
as a possible vehicle. The Committee is expected to request funds from the
Budget Committee.
It was similarly agreed that the Committee itself should begin to cope with the
problem of access to available mathematical research literature described in
recommendation 5.
It was agreed that action on recommendations 6 and 7 should be postponed.
NEW BUSINESS
8.2 COMMITTEE ON OPPORTUNITIES IN MATHEMATICS FOR DISADVANTAGED GROUPS (BIS).
Professor David A. Sanchez had proposed that the Committee be discharged. He
withdrew the proposal.
OLD BUSINESS
7.1 DISASSOCIATION FROM DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES: The Council of 6 January 1981
received a document, supported by petitions with a number of signatures,
requesting the Society to disassociate itself from discriminatory practices in
the USSR. The document, bearing the heading "DRAFT", is attached, together
with some supporting material supplied by Professor Boris Weisfeiler. There is
an attached letter of comment from Professor Saunders MacLane. The Council
invited Professor Anatoly Katok to speak in support of the presented position.
With the approbation of the President, Professor Katok directed his remarks to
items 7.2 and 7.3 as well. He distributed a large collection of related
material, which has been placed on file, but is not distributed with these
minutes.
Professor Bartle proposed to amend the proposal labeled DRAFT by deleting
several passages. The amendment was passed, so that the following motion was
before the Council.
The Council of the AMS, having heard reports on the discrimination in granting
science degrees in mathematics in the USSR, on unfair Universities in the USSR,
on discriminatory editoral policies of some Soviet mathematical journals, and
on the practice of the Soviet national Committee of denying many invited
speakers the possibility of attending scientific meetings or to invited visitor
the possibility of coming to host Institutions, and having taken into account
that such practices are based on criteria other than scientific, has concluded
that it must disassociate itself from such practices and has decided to appeal
to mathematicians not to support such practices.
The Council recommends sending invitations to visit the USA or to attend
meetings to outstanding Soviet mathematicans even if the past record shows
that chances of their coming are poor.
In these ways American mathematicians can show that they are not indifferent to
the fate of Soviet mathematics.
Professor Lorch moved to refer the motion to the Committee on Human Rights.
The motion to refer was defeated. The motion of Professor Bartle was passed.
7.2 ACTION SUPPORT DISSIDENTS, JEWS, AND MINORITIES. The Council of 6 January
1981, received the attached letter from Professor Raymond Ayoub and scheduled
it for discussion at the current meeting. After brief discussion, this item
was postponed until the next meeting.
7.3 MAT. SBORNIK. The Council of January 6, 1981, scheduled for action a
resolution offered by Professors Chandler Davis, Lee Lorch, and Jane Cronin
Scanlon as follows:
That the Council withdraw the request it made at its August 1979
meeting that the Trustees consider suspending translation of
Mathematiceskii Sbornik.
The issue has a long history. A background statement, which was published in
the NOTICES of January 1981, is attached, along with a letter from Davis
supporting the resolution, and one from Professor Anatole Beck opposing it.
On a motion by Professor Pour-El, the motion was postponed indefinitely.
COMMITTEES AND BOARDS
4.2 NOMINATIONS FOR 1981 ELECTION: The Council considered nominations in
executive session. The Nominating Committee proposed the following slate.
President Elect Julia Robinsone [UCB]
Trustee: Ronald L. Graham [Bell Labs]
Vice-President: Michael Artin [MIT]
(two positions) Joan S. Birman [Columbia]
James G. Glimm [Rockefeller]
Elias M. Stein [Princeton]
Associate Secretaries: Paul T. Bateman [U of Ill]
(two postitions) Hugo Rossi [Utah]
Member-at-large A.T. Bharucha-Reid [Wayne S]
(five positions) Melvin Hochster [Mich]
Robert P. Langlands [IAS]
M. Susan Montgomery [USC]
Yiannis N. Moschovakis [UCLA]
Wilfried Schmid [Harvard]
Hector J. Sussmann [Rutgers]
Mathematical Surveys: Donald W. Anderson {UCSD]
Mathenmatics of Comp. Daniel Shanks [Maryland]
Transactions:
(two positions) William B. Johnson [Ohio St]
Walter David Neumann [MD]
Mathematical Reviews: Morton Lowengrub [Indiana]
Colloquium Publications John W. Milnor (IAS)
Proceedings: David M. Goldschmidt [UCB]
(two positions) J. Jerry Uhl, Jr. (U. OF ILL, URBANA)
Bulletin: Calvin C. Moore (UCB)
Committee to Monitor Problems Robert G. Bartle (U of Ill. Urbana)
in Communication Guido L. Weiss (Washington U, St. Louis)
(two positions)
It was understood that more names for Vice-President, or Member-at-large might
appear by petition. In particular, petitions bearing at least fifty valid
signatures have been filed with the Secretary proposing the name of Vadim
Komkov for member-at-large of the Council. If the number of names for Member-
at-Large is not brought to 10 by petitions the Nominating Committee is to
bring the number to ten. Names appearing by petition and additional names
from the Nominating Committee are to be presented by mail ballot to the
Council.
The Council approved the nomination of the candidates on the slate of the
Nomination Committee.
Everett Pitcher, Secretary
May 15, 1981